


build a collection of dreams (that you can call your own)

by iamirondad



Series: "fragile things, helpless things, broken things" whumptober 2020 [8]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), F/M, Gen, May Parker (Spider-Man) & Tony Stark Coparenting Peter Parker, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:22:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26902078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamirondad/pseuds/iamirondad
Summary: “The soul stone is living, it’s aware of the universes, around it.” Natasha said, “It knows what I did, the sacrifice I made, and it’s granted me a wish.”“That’s—"“You’re not seeing,” She interrupted, “It owes me, and I know what I’m gonna do, with that debt.”Tony frowned, “Yeah?”“I’m gonna give you a second chance.”TLDR: Natasha's final wish, is granted, by the universe - it allows Tony, to live, following his sacrifice - he gets the one thing he never thought he'd have, a normal life - from, getting to see his daughter, grow up, all the way, to witnessing Peter and Michelle on their wedding day.Whumptober: No. 8 - Where Did Everybody Go? - “Don’t Say Goodbye”
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, May Parker (Spider-Man) & Tony Stark, Michelle Jones & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Michelle Jones & Tony Stark, Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) & Tony Stark, Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: "fragile things, helpless things, broken things" whumptober 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947778
Comments: 16
Kudos: 213
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	build a collection of dreams (that you can call your own)

The energy of the gauntlet channeled through Tony’s arm and sent shockwaves, down his spine.

It was all too much at once.

It felt like he was being torn apart, limb by limb, experiencing every injury he’d ever endured, since the start of time, simultaneously.

He lifted his arm, presenting the stones, to his enemy, “And I—” He cried out, “…Am Iron-Man.”

He brought his fingers together and snapped.

He was welcomed by a blinding, white light, which was ironic, considering all the fairy tales and visions that were recorded, about death.

The pain dissipated, and suddenly, all he could feel, was comfort, like he was enveloped by it.

The light shifted, from white, and a welcoming orange.

He blinked, clearing his vision.

He looked around, quickly realizing, that he was no longer standing, on the battleground.

He wasn’t somewhere new.

The skies and ground stretched on, for miles, perhaps for _infinity_. They never met, it was a continuous spiral of orange.

It was a new realm, but Tony had seen it before. The space was his old house, _well_ part of it. The gym room to be specific, the boxing ring, was right beside him.

He ducked his head, “What the hell?”

“Hey, Tony,” A voice, he knew all-too-well, called out, “Did you miss me?”

He spun, on his heel.

Natasha was standing, a few paces away, wearing a smile, from ear-to-ear, “You’re an idiot.” She moved, with a slight skip in her step, “An absolute dumbass.”

She broke into a run and crashed, into his chest, tangling her arms around him.

“Nat—” He curled his hands behind her back, “Nat—” He breathed, holding onto her, as tight as he could, “Oh, my—”

“I can’t believe you,” She leaned back, taking his hands, “You know, a long time ago, I wrote a profile on you.”

“Ah, yes –“ Tony chuckled, “Tony Stark, _not advised_ , for the Avengers Initiative.”

“People said the same about me, once,” She smiled, “Now, look at us.”

Tony grinned, “We saved the day.”

“Who’d a thought it.” She raised a hand, pressing it against Tony’s cheek, “I didn’t approve you, for a reason though.”

Tony raised an eyebrow, “What reason?”

“I saw something, in you, that I don’t even think you saw in yourself.” She sniffled, “You care, so much. For Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, and now, those kids. Somewhere, under all the front, you’ve always wanted a simple life. I tried to give it to you, but—” She stammered, “The universe needed you.”

“Thank you,” He smiled uncertain, “Thank you for trying.” He let go, on her hands, and stepped back, caught up in his own head.

She watched him, worried, “Tony?”

“Peter’s back.”

She nodded, “I know.”

“He has no idea, what it’s been like.” He shook his head, “He was, the same kid, and seeing him, it felt—”

“Like everything was falling into place?”

“Yeah. All the right places too.” He rested a hand under his chin, “I’m never gonna see them together. My kids.” He laughed, “Oh, the things they’ll do.”

Natasha tilted her head to her shoulder.

“Nat, I think I might have made a bad decision,” He admitted, “I’m scared I’ve made a mistake.”

“Me too,” She reached out, grabbing his wrist, “It was hard to let go.”

“How’d you do it?”

“I tried not to think about it.” She spoke softly, “What about you?”

“I had to.” He shrugged, “This is the vision that Strange saw.”

“He only saw fourteen billion futures.” She pointed out, “Time is infinite, right?”

“I guess, but it’s done.” He scraped his teeth over his lower lip, “For the longest time, I haven’t cared, if I live or if I die, but I didn’t wanna do this, Nat.” He held onto her hand, “I wanna see my kids grow up. See Morgan, go to school. Peter, go to college. I wanna grow old with Pep. I wanna be, in the same old people’s home as Rhodey and Happy, so I can annoy the shit out of them.”

Natasha laughed, but stopped, “You wanna live.”

“Yeah.”

“Everything’s going to be all right,” She grabbed his hands, “I have an idea.”

“What?”

She darted her eyes up, “You know where we are?”

“No, I—”

“It’s called the Way Station,” She explained, “I didn’t know anything about it until I died, but it’s connected, to the soul stone.”

Tony's forehead creased, “Okay…”

“The soul stone is living, it’s aware of the universes, around it.” Natasha said, “It knows what I did, the sacrifice I made, and it’s granted me a wish.”

“That’s—"

“You’re not seeing,” She interrupted, “It owes me, and I know what I’m gonna do, with that debt.”

Tony frowned, “Yeah?”

“I’m gonna give you a second chance.”

“What—” Tony crumbled, realizing what she was saying, “What do you mean?”

“You’re not dead yet,” She beamed, “I can save you.”

“You can’t use it, on me,” He stuttered, “Save you—"

“I can’t do that. It's not within the agreement.” She leaned up, resting a hand on his cheek again, “I wanna give it to you, and everyone else. You’ve fought so hard, you deserve this.”

“Nat—"

“You can’t stop me,” The determination in her eyes, was unfathomable, and he knew he could never turn her down, not when this was her last wish.

He looped his arms around her, pulling her off his feet, in a hug, “Thank you.” He muttered, resting his face against her shoulder.

She stepped back, tears welling in her eyes, “Don’t waste your life.”

“Never.” He smiled, “You’ll be okay, you won’t be lonely?”

“I could never be.” She vowed, “Promise me something?”

“Anything.”

“Remember me.”

He blinked away tears, “Trust me, nobody is ever gonna forget you.” He opened his mouth, "Goo--"

"Don't--" She interrupted, "Don't say goodbye, please." 

He nodded.

She smiled, “Will that be all, Mr. Stark?”

He bent down, pressing a kiss against her cheek, “Yes, thank you, Miss. Rushman.”

There was another blinding flash, and Tony was standing, on the battlefield, once more.

He was fine.

His arm was slightly numb but other than that, he was okay.

He stepped out of his suit, letting his stones fall to the ground.

“Easy peasy,” He brushed his hands against his undersuit, “Thanks, Nat.”

Rhodey landed, opening his mask, with teary eyes and a dropped jaw, “What—”

Tony chuckled, rubbing his hands together, “Crying for me, platypus?”

Rhodey stepped over, reaching out to poke Tony, in the chest, “Nah, I don’t like this,” He recoiled, “This is too much, for me.”

Tony held out his hands, “I’m okay.”

“You shouldn’t be okay,” Rhodey’s eyes widened, “Unless, you’re an alien, and I never knew—”

Tony shook his head, “I wish.”

“Tones, this makes no sense, how—”

Tony slouched his shoulders, with a smile, “It was Nat.”

Rhodey’s face dropped, “What?”

“She saved me.”

“What do you—"

A familiar swoosh came overhead, as Peter swung over, landing nearby, “Mr. Stark!”

Tony’s mouth twitched into a smile, “Kid—”

Peter strode over, but it was quickly apparent, that he wasn’t in the mood for a hug. He reached out, slapping Tony’s arm away, “You could have died!” He yelled, “You promised you’d never leave, not for anything! You can’t do that—”

“I’m sorry, kiddo,” He gently pulled him into a hug, resting his chin on top of his head, “I’m fine, I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere, promise.”

Peter cried, “I can’t lose you too.”

He kissed his curls and held him close, “I know.”

“Tony!” Pepper landed, retracting her mask, “How—” A flood of relief washed over her, she looked to Rhodey, who simply shrugged, “Jesus.”

Tony reached out, taking her hand, “We’re gonna be okay, Pep.”

She chuckled, leaning in, to kiss his cheek, “Yeah.” She placed her hand on Peter’s back, “We are.”

Peter stepped back, “We won?”

“Yeah, we won, buddy.”

* * *

Life went on, for everyone.

Peter and Morgan met, it wasn’t long until they were as thick as thieves, ready to take on the world together.

Peter started dating Michelle, a few weeks after going back to school. Tony loved the awkwardness of it, from both sides.

When Peter, tried to admit his feelings for her, she thought he was telling her, that he was Spider-Man. A confusing mishap, but it worked out in the end, because, from the get-go, neither of them kept a secret from the other.

Suddenly, in a flash, it was the week before _Christmas_.

Morgan jumped into bed, grabbing her _Piglet_ bear, hugging it under her arm, “Tell me a story,” She laughed, turning to look at Tony.

Tony perched, at the end of the bed, “A story?”

The door cracked open, and Peter poked his head around, “Hey, Tony—”

“Petey!” Morgan squealed, “Come on, Daddy’s telling a story!”

“A story?” Peter smiled, “I can’t turn that down.” He squeezed into bed, next to his sister, who instinctively curled up, over his lap.

Morgan threw her arms up, “Mimi too!”

Tony shrugged, with a laugh, “Let’s just invite everybody.”

Peter leaned to the side, “MJ!”

A door clicked open, and footsteps followed, “Hey—” Michelle stepped inside, “What—”

Morgan shouted, “Daddy’s gonna tell us a story!”

“Oh…” She raised an eyebrow, “You want me to join?”

Morgan nodded frantically, “Yep!”

Michelle chuckled, turning, “Stark?”

Tony motioned his head back, “Come on in, I’m improvising.”

Michelle cackled, “Should be entertaining.”

Tony joked, “Should we call Ned, while we’re at it?”

Peter shook his head, with a chuckle, “I mean, he’d love it, but he’s working.”

“Maybe next time.”

Michelle nudged Peter’s arm, “Budge up.”

Tony noticed that Michelle’s pajamas, had an old print of _Black Widow_ on, the old merch line from before the fall of the Avengers.

He smiled, looking up at the trio.

“Have I ever told you three, about how I met Natasha?”

Morgan beamed, “Auntie Nat?”

“Yeah.”

Peter shook his head, “I don’t think so.”

Michelle held out her hands, “No clue.”

Tony leaned over, “It’s a fun story.”

Morgan bounced, up and down, “Tell it, tell it, tell it.”

Tony smiled, “Okay.”

Morgan rested on Peter’s lap and laid her legs over Michelle’s lap.

“She was the first member of the Avengers, that I met,” Tony started, “It was way before we assembled. It was, around the time of the Stark Expo.”

Morgan grinned, “When you met Petey!”

Michelle turned, “Wait, what?”

Peter waved a hand, “That’s a story for another night.”

Michelle rolled her eyes.

Peter nodded his head forward, “You were saying?”

“She was an agent, hired undercover, by Fury, to keep an eye on me.”

Morgan rocked, “Why?”

“I was being a little _stupid_ , at the time,” He admitted, “I didn’t know, she was a spy. She called herself, Natalie Rushman. I didn’t know, at this moment, that I’d met one of the most important people, in my life.” He looked up, with a grin, “My little sister.”

From that night onwards, Tony told story after story, until _Black Widow_ became Morgan’s favorite hero, and Michelle, did her thesis for college, on Natasha's life.

They kept remembering her, they never stopped. 

* * *

Eight years later, Peter and Michelle were married.

Tony couldn’t see the ceremony, not properly, through his tears. Neither could anyone else, for that matter.

After eating, came the speeches, Tony’s favorite part of any wedding.

Michelle’s parents, went first, followed by May, three hard acts to follow.

Happy raised, hitting his fork, off his glass, “It’s time for the groom’s mentor?” He raised an eyebrow, “Father-figure?” He placed his glass down, “Let’s cut to the chase, here’s Tony Stark.”

Tony wiped his eyes as he stood, “Not sure if I’m gonna top May’s one.”

They all laughed, May jokingly nudged his side.

“Ha,” Tony straightened his back, “Well, you all know who I am, so I won’t bore you with introductions.”

Peter laughed, leaning his head on his hand.

“I, _um_ , I’ve been scratching my head, about what to say today,” Tony rubbed the nape, of his neck, “There’s so much, to say, about my kid.” He leaned, resting his hand against Peter’s shoulder, “Too much to say, in one speech. Jones, too.”

Michelle smiled.

“You’re both amazing,” Tony turned to face them, “No other way to put it. I look at you, and know, that the future, is in very safe hands. Which is strange now, because one of my fondest memories, of Peter, was a few months after we first met.”

Peter buried his face, in his hands.

“He was starting to feel, at home, at mine and Pepper’s place, so he’d thought he’d try and see if he could sleep, like a bat.”

Peter raised his head, “To clarify, it was Batman.”

“Not helping your case here, kiddo,” Tony barked a laugh, “Anyway, long story short, we spent the night, at the Infirmary.”

Peter hid his face against Michelle’s arm, as laughter traveled across the room.

“A broken arm, but an infectious laugh, of embarrassment.”

Tony swallowed, a lump in his throat, studying the faces looking back at him.

“I haven’t known Peter, since the beginning, I can take no credit for that, but we are all family, from every inch of the universe, from among the stars themselves.” He said, motioning to the Guardians, “We prove, that family, is what you make it, and how you love it. The universe is much bigger than most of us thought, twenty years ago. But, mine, was very small, for a long time.” He placed a hand, on his chest, “ _My fault_.” He sniffled, “Then I met this kid, who showed me, how to love life again.”

Peter looked up at him, teary-eyed, with a smile.

“Even when he wasn’t here. You helped me, become a better man, and father,” Tony smiled, “The day, you came back, everything clicked into place. Then, Jones, you came along, and you fit in, from the get-go.” He laughed, “I remember, how giddy, Peter was, whenever he spoke about you.” He turned his attention to the room, “I never believed, in young love, but these two make it impossible to denounce it because you are the real deal.”

People nodded, in firm agreement.

“It can’t go unrecognized, that I would not be standing here, with you all, living this fantastic day, if it wasn’t for Natasha Romanoff.”

Clint met his gaze, with a grin and nod.

“She saved my life, like many of you know, and she gave me this,” He held out his hands, “I owe her, a lifetime. I know, whenever she is, watching over us, she’s telling us all, to drink the night away, and embarrass the hell out of one another.”

The room erupted with laughter again.

Rhodey raised his glass, “To Natasha Romanoff.”

“To Natasha Romanoff!”

Tony raised his, “To the bride and groom!”

“To the bride and groom!”

Peter jumped up, hugging Tony, “Thank you.”

* * *

Eighteen months later, Peter and Michelle welcomed their first child.

A half-asleep May, and Michelle’s mother, Madeline, woke Tony, who was passed out, on the Infirmary couch, in the Relative’s Room, and they told him, it was time to meet his _granddaughter._

He circled, into the room, with a smile, “Hey—”

Peter hopped up, heading over for a hug, “Hey, Tony—”

“Hey, kiddo—” Tony bent down, pressing a kiss in his curls.

Michelle was sitting in bed, cradling her daughter, “Hey, Stark.”

“Jones.” He walked over, “How you are doing?”

“Just a little tired.” Michelle shrugged, “Peter passed out.”

Peter circled the bed, sitting down, “I didn’t pass out, I sat down.”

Michelle snorted a laugh, “Dad shock.”

“I was the same,” Tony reassured him, leaning over to get a look at the baby, “Can’t believe you two managed to pull this off.”

His granddaughter looked up, at him, with wide eyes.

“She’s perfect.”

Michelle moved, “Do you wanna hold her?”

“Of course.” He reached down, carefully taking her, out of Michelle’s arms, “Wow.”

Peter bobbed his head, “He’s already planning ways to spoil her.”

“Ha,” Tony rocked her, “I’ll be looking for cars soon.”

Michelle waved a hand, “You’re a grandparent, you’re allowed.”

Tony looked down, at his granddaughter, “Hey there…”

Peter smiled, “Natalie.”

“Natalie Parker.” Tony’s heart skipped a beat, “That’s a good strong name, and we’re gonna take on the world together.” He pressed a kiss against her forehead, “All of us.”


End file.
